


the ocean between us

by lafemmestars



Category: Oxenfree
Genre: AU, If I make any romance for it it'll be a separate thingy, Mermaid/Surfer/Siren AU, No Romance, This has a plot i promise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2019-05-17 17:36:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14836146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lafemmestars/pseuds/lafemmestars
Summary: The ocean is deep and mysterious, full of places to explore and places tosimplyleavealone.so alone....





	1. Chapter 1

The ocean was deep, a dark blue that carried secrets and wonders. It moved in calming motions, gently carrying anything on its surface. It's waves continued to roll over each other, moving in slow and steady fashion. The breeze had started to slowly die down, not taking the frigid air along with it. 

Alex could feel it on her skin as she laid belly down on her surfboard. She had crossed her arms and rested her head on them, letting the water splash up and onto her skin. It felt wonderfully relaxing. The smell of sweet sea salt had dried on her hair after swimming for a while, but she didn't mind.

She could hear a soft, playful splashing and sat up on her board, looking into the water to see her brother staring back at her. She gave him a light smile, dipping her hand into the cool water and lazily yawning as she laid back in the same position she was in. She felt his hand brush against hers and tilted her head up as he broke through the surface of the water.

"That's a new record. A whole day underwater!" Alex mumbled as he laughed softly, shaking his head. A droplet of water flew into her eye and she quickly rubbed it. 

"I still have to break the record from when I said I was running away from home and stayed under for a week." He said as he held onto the edges of the surfboard, watching as Alex traced her fingers over pastel teal decals. 

"That was a very lonely week for me." She mumbled quietly as her reply. He gave her a smile that everyone loved, the smile that seemed to charm all his teachers and make all the girls fall for him. It was the smile she grew up with and grew to love seeing each time he got even the slightest bit happy. "Don't worry, next time I'm sure you'll come along with me." That's what always kept her going. 

But she had a sneaking suspicion she'd never be able to.

She gave him a false smile, nodding her head in agreement. "Duh. I'm sure it'll be soon." He flicked his tail out of the water, blue-green scales shimmering in the light.

"Listen, once we graduate and once you can finally turn into your mermaid form we will swim as far as we can go. We will travel, I promise you that." He took her hand, making contact with her abnormally blue eyes. It was easy to tell she didn't exactly believe it. He could see the way she slightly squinted.

"I promise." He repeated again, starting to pull the board with him to the shore. She let him for once, lazily dragging her hand in the water and staring at the ripples it made. "Do you truly think I'll be able to do it one day?"

"If I can, and mom and dad can, then I think you can too." The reassurance helped her feel somewhat better. She nodded quietly, getting off the board when he reached the sand. The beach was empty, no one was usually around this early especially since it was a small town with a small beach. She picked it up, then started to walk to the rocky cliff nearby, kneeling down by an opening and pulling her stuff out from it. She pulled out her red jacket, a pair of shorts, and her bracelets. She put her bracelets back on, bulled her shorts back over her swimsuit bottoms and pulled her red jacket on. Well, Michael's red jacket.

Michael made his way to her after turning back and kicked sand at her, snickering softly. "Agh! Michael!"

"Well, cheer up!" 

"Ugh!" 

After a small sand fight they giggled as they made their way up the creaky wooden stairs that led up to the town, filled with small stores and homes that stayed the same. The breeze from the beach picked up as the clouds shrouded the sun. It was just the same old Camena they knew their whole lives.

While they walked to an ice cream shop they had been going to since they were kids, Alex noticed something.

In the window of the shop was a flyer, it was all alone in the glass. Before she had gotten a chance to read it, Michael had interrupted her thoughts by yelling to someone. 

It was someone she didn't know too well, but gave them a simple wave since they had a class together. Michael pulled her along to his friend, starting to chat it up while Alex watched the water from where she stood. There wasn't anything else to do, especially since she left her phone at home, so she just continued to watch the waves as usual.

Just the same as usual.

She overheard her brother come up with a lie about why they were out in the ocean, he was trying to help Alex practice for regionals in surfing was what she heard. "Hey, I think I'm going to start walking home okay?"

"No no, I'll take you." He insisted, patting her shoulder. Her boredom was quite evident to him now. He said his goodbyes, then ruffled Alex's hair. "What, got a date?"

"Yup, with the hottest movie star in the world. You of course wouldn't understand, and you've made me so late!" 

"Oh wow, I can't wait to meet my future brother or sister-in-law! 'I think I saw you in a movie once! And you married my sister instead of your co-star? Tragic.'" She rolled her eyes and punched his arm. "Watch it Mr. Know-It-All."

"Hey, I think anyone would be lucky to be with someone as great as you, really Alex. I think I have to find you a proper suitor." 

"Hey, this isn't the Victorian Era. I'm a free spirit!" 

"I know." He laughed and shook his head. "And you better stay that way. I admire that about you." 

It made her happy to hear that from him, one thing Michael maybe envied about her. The things she envied from him she could count on both of her hands.

"Isn't Mom's new husband coming over finally? Like to move in?"

"I think so. He seems... nice." Nice? Nice was the only word she could begin with... 

Still, he wasn't the worst person ever. She couldn't claim he was. He brought her and Michael a cake, paid for both of their outfits for the wedding, and even made Michael his best man in the wedding after his own son, their soon-to-be step brother had claimed he was too busy with his own stuff to go to his own father's wedding. 

Didn't exactly matter too much to her though. All she knew was that she went to the wedding to support her mother, and it was nice. She was happy again. Why would she put aside her own mother's happiness just because she didn't want someone to 'replace' her father? It was just stupid to her.

"I'm... excited I guess? Just to see how cool this 'Jonas' guy really is." She added as they trekked back home, both trying to think of what to say to him when they saw him.

A simple, awkward hello would have to do.

We're they really ready for such a big change? She wasn't too sure... Michael was always so, so close with their father. He got along somewhat with their new step father. Usually they'd talk about sports...

not really the merman thing though....

He hadn't quite brought it up, and she was sure that her mother had informed him, bringing it up one day over coffee probably.

_"Did I mention honey, I'm a mermaid and my son is a merman? Don't worry though!"_

Ugh. She could just imagine them kissing after that like a married couple. Well, they were a married couple. 

It just continuously vexed her as she stepped up the steps to the same home she lived in while carrying a slightly different life with her to place in her home. For some reason she felt anxious as she turned the familiar smooth knob, opening the door.

"Mom..." A subtle pause. Erasing a single word to fit the state of her new life. 

"We're home!" 

Alex felt like she couldn't find home. The ocean? Not her home. Her own home? Didn't feel like her home...


	2. Chapter 2

Once inside, Alex heard an unfamiliar voice, probably Jonas, their new step brother. She sighed and propped her surfboard against the dull cream wall by the door while Michael walked to the kitchen, shaking seawater out of his auburn hair with a curious look in his eyes. The scent of cookies baking filled the house, which was pretty warm. 

The delicious smell made her stomach growl as she followed behind her brother, quietly peeking out over his shoulder to see what was going on. 

There he sat, dark brown hair that could have almost matched Michael's, eyes that were as green as a rusted gate that had been painted a beautiful emerald before but had been through years of weather and rain, and tan skin that was very much lighter than her own. Something seemed off about him. 

He caught sight of Alex, waving to her and giving her an awkward smile. A smile that said, 'I must be living with you now.... great....' She hid behind Michael to cut off eye contact, just as his green eyes seemed to shimmer slightly. She was forced to see him again once her brother moved to join their mom at the table. Alex coyly walked to the chair that sat between her mom and Jonas and took her place there. Her mother gave her an approving smile as she brought her coffee cup up to her lips. 

"Uh, hi." Jonas mumbled, fixing his beanie and looking back and forth from Michael and Alex.

_What was she supposed to say? Hey, guess you're living with us for now? The bathroom is going to get very crowded..._

"Hey, uh... Jonas, right?" That was stupid. She already knew him from pictures she saw from his father. She cleared her throat and looked back at the table, suddenly interested in the tablecloth. 

"Yup, that's uh... me... You're Alex.... andra?"

Strange, it felt like forever since hearing her first name. 

"Just Alex is fine..." He quietly nodded and dug his spoon into cookie dough, letting it splat onto the sheet to be baked. 

"Noted."

Michael stood and put his hands on Alex's shoulders, almost in a protective way. "Well, I'm Michael, it's great to meet you.... Where is he staying again?"

"With you."

Michael frowned and nodded, not saying anything else in response for a long moment. 

"... what if I want my privacy?" 

"Well, it's the only other place honey. Alex needs her space, she's a young woman."

"I'm a young man!"

Alex suppressed a few giggles, pulling herself up and starting to walk away. "I'm going to my room. If you want you can come Michael." He nodded and took that as a 'hurry up I need to talk to you'. She walked upstairs and opened her door, throwing herself onto her bed and groaning. 

When she heard footsteps she looked up and yawned as Michael came in, sitting by her on her bed. He laid back and stared at the ceiling while she picked at the lint on her bed. "This is so awkward. I don't know what to say to him. 'Hi, I guess you'll be living with us. That's cool I guess'. Ughhhh...." 

He laughed and pat her head, looking at a lonely picture that was framed on her wall. It was when they first went to the beach a short while after Alex was born, when their parents seemed to still be absolutely in love with each other. Their father had brown hair and prominent blue eyes, ones that both Alex and Michael had gotten. Their mother had auburn hair and dark green eyes. She also had freckles that were scattered across her skin, which Alex had inherited. Michael had a few, but they weren't too prominent. Michael sat in between his parents, holding Alex delicately in his arms while their father made sure to help him make sure she wouldn't fall. Neither of them could really remember a time where their parents looked so happy...

_At least, not their father._

They noticed their mother completely change after she remarried.

"I'm sure he's cool. I just... I don't want to share my room? It's kind of already crowded in there." Alex dryly laughed and pat his back, shaking her head. "I just miss dad. Mom seemed... She seemed to get over him quick. It's not that I mind, it's just... strange? I honestly don't know how to feel about this whole situation and I'm still trying to grasp everything while trying to keep myself afloat..." He solemnly smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, rubbing her arm. "Hey don't worry,"

He paused for a moment and tried to think of something that would somehow help the situation. ".... things will get better. This is Mom's thing, and hopefully she'll learn that she needs to explain to you what's going on. I wish she'd be more open, but I wish dad was more open too." Michael pat her back after the little lecture and smiled. 

She smiled back to him and laid back, closing her eyes. "Mm. Hope they learn soon." She muttered softly.

Her room was quiet, it usually always was. The only times it wasn't quiet would be when Ren would come over or when Ren would call her. There wasn't much else for her to do there, so most of the time she was at school or practicing. 

Memories of times they were still a happy family seemed too far to reach again. 

"What's it like?"

"Hm?"

Alex looked at him again, eyes wistful. "Being a merman?" 

He had told her so many times before, like a child wanting a story read to them each night. It was clockwork. A smile formed on his lips and he sat up. "It feels... like you're free. The feeling of the water is comforting and being able to see everything is just breathtaking! The vibrant colors of fish, the glittering treasures that are forever lost, and the multiple patterns of bright coral, it's all so beautiful to see." He tried to paint out the scenery with words, and she listened intently as she tried to create the image in her head. It surely wasn't the same thing her brother described, but she was satisfied with the small glimpse.

"I'm sure it's very pretty." 

No matter how many times she'd tell herself, she knew that she'd never be able to join him in the ocean.


	3. Chapter 3

Everything felt so surreal as she dug her toes in the warm sand. It was almost pacifying, the noise of the waves crashing against each other and creating white noise that rang in her ears, and the feeling of sand gently scratching her feet. 

The sky was starry, the only light was the shinning moon and the glittery stars. The light made it easy to see the ocean. She stepped closer to the water, pulling her jacket and shorts off and shoving them in the cliff crevice. She picked the board back up and slowly made her way to the water, letting it get up to her ankles. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to come alone to surf, but she wanted her space. Just her, her board from her father, and the calm ocean. 

She ran in, hoping onto her board and starting to push herself closer to the waves. It licked at her legs, leaving her shivering in the soft breeze that floated around. It woke her up as she stood on the board, steadying herself and trying to balance. She did this a few times every month, just to practice being able to stand on her board. It felt almost therapeutic. 

Strangely, she felt something wrap around her ankle. She brushed it off, thinking maybe it was seaweed - until it gripped her ankle and pulled her down in the water. 

"Hey!" She yelled out before getting pulled into the inky ocean. She flailed and tried kicking whatever or whoever had pulled her in, feeling panic rise in herself. She had her eyes shut tightly, trying to keep the seawater out of her eyes, so there was no way to see her attacker. Holding her breath was getting uncomfortable, she needed to breath. Continuing to struggle, she felt herself being pushed out of the water and onto a rock. She took a gasping breath and panted, opening her eyes to hazy vision. The rough rock pressed into her back, but she didn't care as she heavily breathed in and out. She didn't open her eyes for a short while after that, but once she did she saw a girl -- no, a mermaid? Whatever she was, she sat right by her on the rock, staring at her with light brown eyes. She had crimson red hair and pale skin, all Alex could really make out in what little light she had. On her waist there were red marks, she wasn't sure what they were, and she had a dark ruby tail in place of legs. She felt the girl trace her fingers up her arm, slightly dragging her nails up her skin. They almost felt sharp. She curiously grabbed Alex's leg, making her yelp suddenly from surprise. 

"You're not what I thought you were." Almost in a snap, the girl went from confused to hostile. "Besides, you're basically just skin and bones!" She commented, dropping her leg and crossing her arms.

Stunned and browbeat, Alex cautiously sat up, relived from the rough surface she had been thrown onto. "Excuse me? I didn't ask you to almost drown me!" She shot back, glaring at the other and grasping her own knees to keep from hitting the peculiar girl. 

"Your board made it seem like you were a sea creature, and I do believe that it's quite your fault!" 

With all that happened, the board had completely slipped her mind. The board she loved so damn much, the one thing she could keep from her father, was far from her own reach. Tears started in her eyes as she realized it, forcing them back quickly. 

The other narrowed her eyes, rolling them and slipping back into the water delicately. "Be glad you are alive. It's just a stupid board." Her blood boiled as she went on, continuing to make her feel angered. 

"Still, it was my board!" Scanning as far as she could see the ocean, she desperately looked for the familiar object. The night sky made it harder to spot it, which was pretty overwhelming for her. A splash of water from the girl diving back into the depths of the ocean hit her face like a cold shock. It would be tedious trying to get back to shore. 

She lowered herself into the water and slowly swam in the direction of the cliffs that seemed so far away. Still, she was angered over losing her board. Her dad's board. 

She let the spite fuel her to get to the shore, shivering as she trudged to get her personal effects. She wasn't sure how she'd explain losing her board or why she was out large, and she was sure she'd probably just tell the truth. It would be harder to lie...

While walking up the steps she felt the grains of sand sticking to her feet. It reminded her of the time she had first started surfing, laughing as her father carefully guided her into the ocean. Of course, he didn't last long in his human form. Always, every time, he'd turn into a merman and then would start swimming with Michael. But they always tried to include Alex in on their fun. 

She jadedly swiped the grains off her her feet and continued. Her walk was crestfallen and frigid as she made her way through the night. 

Michael probably found she wasn't in the house and also probably was waiting for her in the living room, ready to scold her for going out alone. At night. 

Through familiar streets she reminisced about times she'd walk them with Ren, Michael, or her parents all on differing occasions. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. 

She turned a familiar corner, making it to her house. She slowly walked up to the door, pulling her key out of her jacket and unlocking the door as silently as possible. 

Upon stepping inside, the lights flicked on, and not only was she caught by Michael's shameful glare, so was Jonas. Jonas looked like he was just about to walk out the front door, a pack of cigarettes in his hand.

"Do I seriously have to be the mean big brother here?" Michael groaned, pressing his fingers to his temples. 

"... No?" Alex said softly, closing the door behind her and taking a seat on the couch. She know what came next, the scolding. Jonas bit his lip and sat by her, looking to Alex, then to Michael, an antsy look in his eyes.

"Did you seriously go swimming in the ocean? Alone?"

"Mmhm." Alex shrugged and leaned back into the cushions, not quite worried about him lecturing her anymore. He frowned and crossed his arms, pacing silently. 

"You know it's forbidden for you to go to the ocean at night alone."

"I was fine, I just... I wanted to practice surfing." She admitted, getting a suspicious look from both Michael and Jonas surprisingly. While there was silence, she remembered the girl - or whatever the hell she was - grabbing her ankle and pulling her into the ocean. 

Michael grabbed her shoulder and sighed, bringing her back to reality. He looked worried for her as he brushed sand off of her. "I don't want you getting hurt, okay? I know you aren't capable of doing what I can do yet-"

"Michael, stop kidding yourself." Her voice was sharp. Until his eyes were filled with hurt, she didn't realize how harshly she was acting. He went silent and pulled away, slowly nodding. "Alright..." He said finally, then looked to Jonas. "Same goes for you, wherever you were going. I don't want our parents to end up finding one of us in trouble." He mumbled as he walked away, ending the conversation and going upstairs. 

Alex turned to Jonas, working her fingers through her teal tangles that soaked her jacket. He let out a sudden cough and stood. "... I'm sorry. You didn't need to deal with that, usually he's not this apprehensive." He nodded, shaking a cigarette out of the box and offering it to her. 

"It's cool, um... do you want to have a smoke?" There was uncertainty in his voice, she knew what that meant. _Probably thought she had been sheltered and never got to do stuff like that._

"Sure."

She took it and walked outside with him, explaining sheepishly how she'd almost practically died when she had first tried it. He laughed and shook his head, promising he'd look out for any signs of her dying.

She begun violently coughing, almost like the first time, with Jonas patting her back roughly. "Deep breaths, it'll be fine."

She wheezed and clutched her stomach, her lungs feeling like they were painfully shrinking. It was hard to breathe, but soon she took a deep shuddery breath and composed herself, putting the small stick out after finding she still couldn't handle it. "I guess I'm just not cool enough to handle these." He raised an eyebrow at her jest, but she could see him trying to hold back a laugh. It felt nice. "Mm totally, don't I look cool?" He chuckled, taking a drag of the cigarette and closing his eyes. In a way, he seemed like Michael, sort of carefree. But now Michael just seemed to be getting tenser and tenser.

Did her mom tell him and his dad about their whole situation?

"So uh... I don't know if it's any consolation but I'm sorry about this whole thing. It just... seems like you're put off the most by it. Michael seemed pretty chill, sharing a room with me..." Alex looked at him, remembering _he_ was a teen too. He's her age. He's close to Michael's age. _He knows what it feels like._

"No, I should be sorry. You've been cool with all this, yknow? Uh... Hey, why don't you come with me to the beach one day? Go swim with a couple of my friends in the ocean?" She hoped he'd agree to it, so then maybe they could have something to bond over. Something to have a foundation on. But as soon as she offered, he got a shade paler than he was and quickly shook his head. 

He scratched the back of his head and started to find a fly very interesting, focusing solely on it. "Well uh, thank you for the offer. Really, I appreciate it but... The ocean isn't really my thing? Uh..." He bit his lip and looked at the ground. "But thanks, really..." Before she got a chance to speak, he put his cigarette out and made his way into the house. His reaction seemed way too different from how he had previously acted around her. 

_Strange..._


	4. Chapter 4

Was school ever not horrible? Alex wasn't too sure. Maybe when she was younger it was easier, but she took it for granted. All she knew was that it was one of her most hated things, even if she did enjoy learning history and was oddly excited to crack open a textbook and read up about colonies she never heard of, or queens that got beheaded. 

While scanning a paragraph in her overly-expensive book she gave a few glances over to her friend. He ran his fingers through his curly blonde hair with a bored expression and drummed his fingers rhythmically on their shared desk. She sighed when she realized what he was doing. Slowly she pointed to a paragraph in his book and looked back up to him. 

"The answer is right there Ren."

"Oh! Thanks!" He gave her a toothy grin and pulled a crumpled paper out of his bag. She held back a laugh and looked back at her own book, quietly scanning the many sentences. 

The ocean breeze blew through the open windows and left some others in the room sighing and reaching for their sweaters. Ren didn't, and neither did Alex. They were too used to the pelting of the ocean's icy whips of air to bother pulling on their sweaters to the point only freezing weather would force them both into jackets. Ren nudged her arm gently and gave her a smile, leaning back in his chair. "Wanna go surf after school? Get some practice in?"

"That would be fun..." She stoped herself upon remembering the night she almost got drowned my some mermaid with red hair. Giving an annoyed glance at the floor when the memory appeared, she sighed and shook her head. "Never mind. I lost my board while practicing the other night." She admitted quietly. He watched as she scribbled an answer on her paper, maybe it wasn't even an answer, and noticed she seemed annoyed.

"Hey, it's good, I could buy you a new one? You're always getting me stuff for the band-"

"No, Ren, that was the board from my dad. That's the only one I ever use. It's the only thing I had left from him." He realized her distraught in her tone of voice and quickly pat her back. After he gave her a pitiful look he tapped her arm. "Well... why don't we find it?"

Forcing a smile and patting his hand she shook her head forlornly. "I wish I could." She went on to explain the events that had happened prior. As she continued and explained thoroughly his expression became addled with questions running through his head without a doubt. 

"What a bitch!" When the teacher gave them a glaring star he realized he had said that louder than he had meant. The teacher's icy gaze chilled Alex more than the oceanic breeze ever would. 

Shuddering, she quickly got back to work to maintain her reputation. _Summer School sucked._

Once the bell rang she quickly gathered her stuff and dropped it in her bag. She walked away from her desk and made her way calmly to the hallway, Ren trailing behind her. Still, what happened bothered her while she walked the slightly crowded hallway, until she saw a glimpse of familiar bright red hair. The tall girl was holding a board at her side -- And it was the exact board that Alex had. She felt overcome with emotions, hurrying her pace and grabbing the girl's arm. The girl whipped around quickly -- revealing the familiar face of the 'creature' she saw that night she had snuck out. 

Her skin was cold...

The girl made a face and yanked her arm back. "Can I help you?" She asked blatantly, flipping her bangs out of her face. She recognized her, not just from the ocean. 

She realized this was Clarissa, the girl who pushed her into the pool in sixth grade and laughed so much about it. She remembered Michael swimming to her while she was horrifically surprised, helping her resurface, even though she could do that herself, and laughing about it. 

She remembered not finding it too funny.

Alex fumbled with her words for a moment before looking down at her board and feeling some courage in herself rise up. 

"That's my board. I'd like it back please." The girl next to Clarissa curiously looked over, pushing her long dark hair behind her ear and giving a shy wave. "Hey Ren."

"Nona don't speak to him." Clarissa mumbled before looking to Alex. 

"Well, I found it. So I guess therefore it's mine." Clarissa said, rolling her eyes and looking at her nails. Alex felt a strange urge to just completely go off on her, but held back. "Well my dad gave me that board, and he made it himself. I'd appreciate it if you'd just kindly give it back." She paused before adding, "Y'know, especially since you tried to drown me."

Clarissa's cheeks flushed and Nona seemed surprised to this probably new information. She shoved the board into Alex and walked away. "Fine." She mumbled.

Alex almost fell over upon the impact of her board hitting her, but didn't care. She hugged the board close to herself and let out a nervous sigh, finally relaxing. "God, I thought she would have just hit me over the head with my board just for speaking to her." Ren laughed and grabbed her hand, pulling her up. "I thought she was going to fight you."

Too enthralled with the fact she got her board back and it wasn't lost forever, she put her hand on Ren's shoulder with a sly smile. "I bet I can surf faster than you!"

"No way Alex!"

~~~~~~~~

"Alexandra!" 

Alex groaned, hearing her mother call her name from downstairs. She forced herself out of bed and rubbed her sore legs. The waves were brutal when she went surfing, they pelted her with cold water and made her smack into the rocks, leaving a few bruises and scratches along her arms and legs. Her cheek did get a nasty cut, but she just embraced the pain and hissed from alcohol being rubbed in the wound when Michael fussed over her earlier with a cotton ball soaked in strongly scented liquid.

Her body slightly ached as she walked out of her dimly lit room and into the kitchen. Her mother wasn't cooking, instead was looking at her phone and not paying Alex any attention for a moment. She finally looked up and put her phone down, expression normal. "Want to go see a movie this weekend?" 

"No thank you." Alex mumbled simply.

Her mother frowned. "Can you wait for me to finish?" 

"... No."

"You're just like your father..." She picked her phone back up and continued. "Since it's your birthday I figured maybe I'd just take you to go watch some movie, have some mother-daughter bonding time?" Alex could hear her boredom and decided to spare her the 'anguish' of having to sit with her in a movie theater. 

"No thank you, again." She mumbled in response, crossing her arms and starting to head back. She could practically feel her mother's disappointment in her boring into the back of her head. She paid her no mind and continued, bumping into Jonas. "Oh. Hey?" Alex mumbled softly, looking up at him. He gave her an awkward smile as he backed up to let her get up the stairs. She walked up, and leaned against the wall. 

"Er, family issues right now?"

"More like mother issues." Alex muttered and rolled her eyes as she motioned for him to follow. "If you wanna hear the rest then I guess you can come hang out with me and my friend." She offered while walking to her room to grab a bag to carry her homework and phone in. 

To her surprise, he followed.


End file.
